Latest news with #Newry-born
ITV News
05-05-2025
- Sport
- ITV News
Former Aston Villa FA Cup hero forward Peter McParland dies aged 91
Former Aston Villa and Northern Ireland forward Peter McParland has died at the age of 91. McParland scored 121 goals in 341 appearances for Villa and got both goals in their 2-1 win over Manchester United in the 1957 FA Cup final. He also scored in the 1961 League Cup final as Villa beat Rotherham 3-2 over two legs and helped the club win the Second Division title in the 1959/60 season. Capped 34 times by Northern Ireland, McParland scored five goals at the 1958 World Cup and holds the national record for most goals in World Cup finals. 'Aston Villa Football Club is profoundly saddened to learn that Peter McParland, the last surviving member of the club's 1957 FA Cup-winning team, has passed away,' the club said in a statement. 'The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Peter's family and loved ones at this extremely difficult time.' In a social media post, the Irish FA said: 'Our thoughts and best wishes are with the family and friends of Peter McParland who has passed away. Peter represented Northern Ireland with distinction, in particular at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. The last of our heroes from that famous era.' The Newry-born player began his career with Dundalk before joining Villa in 1952. After almost a decade with the club, he went on to play for Wolves, Plymouth, Worcester City, Toronto Inter-Roma and Atlanta Chiefs.
Belfast Telegraph
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Tributes paid after death of NI and Aston Villa legend Peter McParland
McParland was the last surviving member of Villa's 1957 FA Cup win Premier League club Aston Villa has paid tribute to former NI star Peter McParland, who passed away on Sunday aged 91. The Newry-born man had been the last surviving member of the club's 1957 FA Cup-winning side. McParland netted both goals when Villa defeated Manchester United 2-1 in the showpiece and hit the winner four years later as the club lifted the League Cup. In doing so he became the first footballer to score in the finals of both major English cup competitions. The winger had been playing for Dundalk when he was brought to Villa Park by then-manager George Martin, making his home debut in a September 1952 fixture against Wolves. He won the first of 34 Northern Ireland caps while still a teenager in 1954, scoring twice on his debut against Wales, and became the first Aston Villa player to play at the World Cup finals for NI in 1958. The Newry man found the net five times at the 1958 World Cup as NI reached the quarter finals before suffering a 4-0 defeat to France. He holds the record for being the highest-scoring NI player in World Cup finals history. Overall, McParland scored 121 time sin 134 appearances for the Villans, also helping them to a Second Division league title in 1959-60. Following almost a decade at Villa Park, he moved to cross-town rivals Wolves for £35,000 in January 1962, before going on to play for Plymouth Argyle, Worcester City and Glentoran along with spells in Canada and the USA. In a lengthy tribute posted to the club's website, Aston Villa FC said: 'Aston Villa Football Club is profoundly saddened to learn that Peter McParland, the last surviving member of the club's 1957 FA Cup-winning team, has passed away. "Equally at home at centre-forward as on the left wing, McParland boasted a powerful header of the ball as well as possessing a talented left foot. "The last survivor of the 1957 FA Cup-winning team, he was a guest of the club at the 2015 cup final against Arsenal. 'McParland also attended a special exhibition at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in January this year to celebrate the club's 150th anniversary. 'The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Peter's family and loved ones at this extremely difficult time. "Rest in Peace, Peter.'
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
O'Connor in silver medal position at World Indoors
Ireland's Kate O'Connor is in the silver medal position in the pentathlon at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing with two events remaining. O'Connor, who earned the bronze medal at the European Indoors earlier this month, produced a personal best of 8.30 seconds in the opening 60m hurdles and a strong performance in the high jump was followed by another lifetime best of 14.64 metres in the shot put. The Newry-born Ireland athlete is on 2,889 points going into the long jump which starts at 10:42 GMT. That puts her 78 points behind Finland's European Indoors winner Saga Vanninen who looks on course for another gold medal. O'Connor is seven points ahead of third-placed US athlete Taliyah Brooks with another American Timara Chapman 80 points behind the Irish woman in fourth spot. With fifth-placed German Vanessa Grimm 129 points adrift of the Dundalk athlete, the medals look likely to be fought out by the leading four with O'Connor aiming to clinch Ireland's first World Indoors medal since Derval O'Rourke's 60m hurdles triumph in 2006. O'Connor and Chapman led the high jump standings with marks of 1.81m which was 0.03m down on the Irish woman's personal best set at the European Indoors. The concluding 800m, which O'Connor won at the European Indoors, takes place at 13:08 GMT. O'Connor won the Commonwealth Games heptathlon silver medal for Northern Ireland in 2022 before producing her major international breakthrough earlier this month in Apeldoorn. The Northern Ireland athlete's 60m hurdles and shot put performances were improvements of 0.01 seconds and 10 centimetres on her previous lifetime bests. Andrew Coscoran and Sophie O'Sullivan compete in 1500m heats on Friday's opening day of action in China. Coscoran has also entered the 3000m, which is a straight final on Saturday with James Gormley running in the Ireland vest, while Sarah Healy will be a strong Irish medal hope in Saturday's women's 3000m final after winning the European title two weeks ago. Sarah Lavin will be the last of the six-strong Ireland team in action when she competes in the women's 60m hurdles on Sunday after finishing fourth at the European Indoors.
BBC News
10-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
O'Connor 'ecstatic' with unexpected European bronze
Ireland's Kate O'Connor admits she "wasn't expecting" to win a pentathlon bronze medal but is "ecstatic" with her performance at the European Indoor Athletics Championships.O'Connor produced a superb run to win the 800 metres and beat Great Britain's Jade O'Dowda to bronze in the final event in 24-year-old had previously set personal bests in the 60 metre hurdles, high jump and long jump, as well as a strong performance in the shot put, to move into medal contention."Honestly, I wasn't expecting to get a medal but I'm buzzing that I did," said O'Connor."My plan was to go out and run as hard as I could. I really wanted a medal and I'm ecstatic that I managed to get it." Despite her strong performance in the Netherlands, O'Connor was still outside the medal placings heading into the 800 metres.. The Newry-born athlete, who won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland in 2022, put in a storming run to win the race and edge O'Dowda to third place overall. O'Dowda is a former training partner of O'Connor, who said they had a conversation before the 800m that they would be "friends no matter what happens".O'Connor set a new Irish record of 4781, surpassing her own tally by 98 points, as she won bronze behind Finland's Saga Vanninen (4922) and Dutch athlete Sofie Doktor (4826)."To be honest, no," O'Connor said when asked if she expected to win a medal. "After the long jump I was a little upset. I had done four world class performances and was still trailing. I knew all those girls had great 800s. "I had a plan to go out and run as hard as I could and try not to be disappointed with myself."It was insane. Four girls with those kinds of scores are unbelievable. So to be part of that is amazing, to be part of the medals is even better."I hope we push each other on. The world championships are coming up soon so we'll see what happens at them."
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
O'Connor fourth going into last pentathlon event
Ireland's Kate O'Connor has dropped to fourth place after the penultimate long jump event in the pentathlon at the European Indoor Championship but remains in medal contention going into the concluding 800m. Personal bests in the 60m hurdles and the high jump, along with a solid shot put had put the Newry-born athlete in the silver medal position. O'Connor continued her impressive performances by producing another lifetime best in the long jump as she leapt 6.27m - 0.22m further than her previous PB - but that couldn't prevent her from falling to fourth as Finland's gold medal favourite Saga Vanninen, Dutch athlete Sofie Dokter and Great Britain's Jade O'Dowda all jumped further. Vanninen looks to have secured the gold medal as her 3989 points total gives her a 62-point advantage over Dokter. The Dutch woman has a 56-point advantage over O'Dowda, who is the sister of Republic of Ireland footballer Callum O'Dowda. O'Connor is now 34 points behind third-place O'Dowda and while both have similar 800m personal bests, the Irishwoman will hope that she can finish sufficiently ahead of the British athlete to clinch a medal, with none of the other competitors in realistic medal contention. The Newry-born Commonwealth Games silver medallist clocked 8.31 seconds in the 60m hurdles - 0.06 seconds inside her previous personal best - which left her eighth overall before producing a 1.84m high jump. O'Connor, who went into the high jump with a personal best of 1.82m, was in danger of losing ground after failing on her opening two attempts at 1.75m but produced a third-time clearance. After managing 1.78m first time, she cleared 1.81m at the third attempt before screaming in joy after succeeding in her second effort at 1.84m as she managed another personal best to leave her third overall at that stage. The Irishwoman then produced a solid 14:32m shot put - 0.22m below her personal best - but that was enough to move her up to second spot. Andrew Coscoran will compete in the men's 3000m final at 15:50 GMT where Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be a huge favourite while Letterkenny man Mark English will aim for a fifth medal at European Championship level when he races in the 800m final at 16:27. Sarah Healy will be another big Irish medal hope when she competes in the women's 3000m final at 16:35. Ireland will also be in action in the women's 4x400m medal but their medal chances look remote after Sharlene Mawdsley's withdrawal from the championships because of injury after her impressive run in the anchor leg of the 4x400m mixed relay when the Irish finished fifth.
